Meanwhile, Harriet having finished her songs, was leaning out of the window with Ralph Pullen by her side. She wore an open sleeve and as he placed his hand upon her bare arm, the girl thrilled from head to foot.
“And so you are determined not to go to Brussels,” he whispered in her ear.
“Why should I go? You will not be there! The Baroness wants to stay for a week! What would become of me all that time, moping after you?”
“Are you sure that you would mope? Monsieur Brimont is a nice young man, and seems quite ready to throw himself at your feet! Would he not do as well, pro tem?”
Harriet’s only answer was to cast her large eyes upwards to meet his own.
“Does that mean, ‘No’?” continued Captain Pullen. “Then how would it do, if I joined you there, after a couple of days? Would the Baroness be complaisant, do you think, and a little short-sighted, and let us go about together, and show each other the sights of the town?”
“O! I’m sure she would!” cried Harriet, all the blood in her body flying into her face, “she is so very kind to me! Madame Gobelli!” she continued, turning from the window to the light, “Captain Pullen says that if you will allow him to show us the lions of Brussels, he will come and join us there in a couple of days—”
“If I find I can manage it!” interposed Ralph, cautiously.
“Manage it! Why, of course you can manage it,” said the Baroness. “What’s to ’inder a young man like you doing as ’e chooses? You’re not tied to your sister’s apron-string, are you? Now mind! we shall ’old you to it, for I believe it’s the only thing that will make ’Arriet come, and I think a week in Brussels will do us all good! You’re not looking well yourself, you know, Captain Pullen! You’re as white as ashes this evening, and if I didn’t know you were such a good boy, I should say you’d been dissipating a bit lately! He! he! he!”
“The only dissipating I have indulged in, is basking in the sunshine of your eyes, Madame!” replied Ralph gallantly.